Popcorn With Your Dialup?

Members of the ISP-Marketing list debate the effectiveness of advertising on the slide show that runs in a movie theater before the movie is shown.

[February 7, 2002]

On the ISP-Marketing list in January, MB asked,

"Has anyone tried putting slide projector advertisements in a movie theatre for their ISP?"

DD warned that slide show advertising could even have a negative effect:

"There's a good chance of a backlash: I know I have a negative impulse about advertising that I see after paying one high price to get in, then even higher prices on snacks."

A number of respondents agreed that it's ultimately ineffective:

[BH recalled] "We tried this, with zero results. We hit 75 percent of the screens in the area for a month, and we didn't get a single signup out of it. Of course, the ad rep for the screens said we need to do it over a much longer period, at least two months, to see any results. While I agree that advertising takes time and repetition is important, you do need to know that someone is paying attention, and we just didn't feel they were. I wouldn't recommend this form of advertising at all."

[DH noted] "We traded hosting for slide advertising to a chain of six theaters. While some people did see it, it was certainly not a good direct response medium. It might have generated a bit of awareness, but it did not generate more than a couple of sales. I don't think advertising before a movie would be a good use of marketing dollars. People's minds are elsewhere, and if they want to respond right then and there, it would be difficult—unless they call on a cell phone from the theater, but you don't want to encourage that!"

RL suggested that, if you're patient and look at the long term, it can be a worthwhile advertising method:

"I have been advertising in a movie theater for over two years. Most of our new signups don't mention the advertisement, but it keeps our name in front of a lot of teens that might influence their parents' decisions on an ISP."

—End